The Future of Sensors in Healthcare

Commentary

Hanna Phelan

We are delighted to announce that at our next HealthXL Global Gathering will take place in Basel Switzerland on the 22-23rd February 2017. One of the key topics of the event will be focused on the Future of Sensors. Due to this, we decided to take a look at some of the key innovations and companies that are driving this evolution.

The applications of sensors in the digital health space were previously limited by their large size and front end electronics. Now with miniature circuits, more sophisticated signal processing systems, and cheaper manufacturing costs, sensors can be deployed to quantify, monitor, diagnose, and gamify our health.

Research firm On World, predicts that shipments of 515 million sensors for implantable, wearable, and mobile health devices will be made globally in 2017. This is up for 107 million in 2012.

To look further into this, we considered two key questions:

What will the future of sensors in healthcare look like?

What is the innovation and technology leading this evolution?

To do this, we took a look at some of the companies that are driving this innovation and creating the Sensors of tomorrow within Healthcare.

GraphWear Technologies aim is to use their sweat sensor patch to monitor glucose levels for diabetic patients. They are currently piloting with an NFL team to test their sweat glucose sensors to monitor hydration levels. Interestingly, an article in Nature noted that wearable sweat sensors are paving the way for real – time body chemistry analysis.

Affectiva’s biosensor measures emotional arousal by user’s skin conductance, temperature, and movement. A Stanford University is currently using their sensor to prototype responsive games that offer new challenges to keep people engaged based on their arousal level.

Check cap is working on an ingestible sensor capsule that screens for colorectal cancer. The Israeli-based company recently received $5.9 Million in financing for its development. The capsule transmits X-rays to the intestinal wall enabling detection of clinically significant polyps. For the patient, in comparison with a normal colonoscopy, this requires far less preparation.